Curated OER
Understanding Interactions Among Local Species and the Local Environment
Students examine the differences between biotic and abiotic factors, explain the difference between habitat and niche and compare how organisms get their nutritional needs. In this local environment instructional activity students trace...
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Vocabulary: Kansas Prairies
Students explore the ecosystem by reviewing scientific vocabulary terms. In this environmental awareness activity, students identify the differences between abiotic and biotic factors and their relationship to the Earth. Students define...
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Ecology and the Conservation of Natural Resources Lesson 2
Young scholars compare and contrast abiotic and biotic factors. They discuss how these factors effect ecosystems. They answer questions to complete the lesson.
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Nature of Science and Ecology
Students identify the different biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem. In this ecology lesson, students perform a case study on current environmental problems. They write a position statement about their chosen topic and share it...
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Ecology and Life Interactions
Students discuss the hierarchy of an ecosystem. They are asked what are the optimum conditions that support human life? Students are asked what are their personal "optimum conditions" are. They are given the following as the question...
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Population Ecology
Here are some ideas to help students understand population growth in ecosystems.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Eyes on Dissolved Oxygen
Learn about the factors that affect the way oxygen dissolves in salt water with a chemistry lab. After studying the molecular structure of water, young scientists figure out how aeration, temperature, and organic waste affect dissolved...
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Exploring Ecology
Students explore the basics of ecology through numerous hands-on and relevant activities. They participate in an online food chain demonstration, which explores food web dynamics. They dissect owl pellets, examine the prey's bones, and...
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The MPA “GamePlan”
Eighth graders explore the purpose of having Marine Protected Areas. In this environmental science lesson, 8th graders simulate the planning process by playing a board game. They explain the positive and negative effects of trade offs.
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Habitat Unit - Day 2
Students explore abiotic factors that affect habitats. After a class lecture, students work in groups to answer questions about plant tissue, production and growth. They share answers, complete a crossword puzzle, and create a habitat...
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Ecology
Students gain an understanding of necessary components required within a healthy, sustainable environment and ways human actions can impact that balance while discovering how to recognize and analyze explanations and models used in...
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Fire Ecology
Fourth graders examine the role fire plays in maintaining the physical factors of the scrub ecosystem. They see that world ecosystems are shaped by physical factors that limit their productivity.
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A Coastal Arctic Food Web
Students create a food web of the arctic ecosystem. In this biology lesson, students explain how global warming affects this ecosystem. They explain how losing a species affects the entire community.
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Population Biology
Students define the following terms: predation, competition, carrying capacity and population. They can explain the patterns of growth and the limitations of growth. Students explain the difference between density-dependent and...
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Adaptation and Diversity on Sheffield Island
Written for an exploration of shoreline ecosystems on Sheffield Island, this gives ecology or marine biology buffs a hands-on experience. Using GPS or visual triangulation techniques, they lay transect lines on a high and a low energy...
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Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Marine Ecology
Students enact the life cycle of a sessile animal and quantify the possibility of survival under the conditions given. They then present to the class a new adaptation which will increase the animals chance of survival.
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The Changing Coral Reef
Students record changes in the composition of a coral reef. In this Coral Reef lesson, students recognize the needs of Coral Reef species to survive. Students chart changes in population over time. Students write an essay about factors...
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"Oh Deer!"
Students play a game where half of them are deer and the others are components of habitat: food, water, shelter and space. They signify their needs by hand gestures and take what they need to their side of the game. They discuss real...
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Wetland Ecosystem Conservation
Learners read articles about wetland ecosystem conservation in Florida and other countries. They summarize information found in the articles. Students reflect on the information in the articles and write their feelings.
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Saving the Bay
Students investigate water pollution prevention. In this ecology wastewater instructional activity, students activate prior knowledge about sewage, then view a video explaining the waste water sewage system used in the San Francisco Bay...
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Estuarine Habitats
Sixth graders study the important habitats, flora, fauna, and physical factors of coastal habitats. They compare the aquatic habitats to terrestrial habitats by researching and completing tables with the information.
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Succession and Experimental Process
Students describe the roles of controlled, manipulated and responding variables in scientific research. They also identify biotic and abiotic interactions affecting the makeup of a plant community.
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Oh Deer!"
Young scholars explore the essential components of a habitat, which is food, water, and shelter. They end the lesson by paying the Oh Deer! game.
Teach Engineering
Designing a Sustainable Guest Village in the Saguaro National Park
Brainstorm ideas to design a sustainable guest village in the Sonoran Desert. The first installment of a nine-part unit teaches young environmental scientists about the basics of the Saguaro National Park and about sustainable design....